Forster talks about the Douglas DC-3 from `Quantum of Solace`

Suspicious that an ecological organisation is actually a front for a nefarious plot? And that the natural resources of Bolivia are under threat from these shadowy villains? Better take to the skies to survey the area in question - reports Boxwish. Well, that’s what James Bond (Daniel Craig) does in Quantum of Solace (out now on DVD). Accompanied by Camille (Olga Kurylenko), 007 hops onboard a Douglas DC-3 aeroplane and takes a gander at the Latin American countryside from the air. But of course, this being Bond he doesn’t achieve a safe, tidy landing, instead his aircraft is shot down from the skies and the pair have to make an emergency parachute jump. Oh Mr Bond, what are we to do with you?

Manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Company, the Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing, propeller-driven aircraft and first took flight back in the 30s. From that moment on it became one of the most popular models in the American skies, with many bought for use by airlines such as United, American, TWA and many overseas helping popularise commercial air travel. They also helped the war effort in the 40s and though they’re now pretty old in aviation terms, they still perform as cargo planes and are thoroughly celebrated by pilots.

Finding one for use in the 22nd James Bond outing proved challenging as director Marc Forster explains: “The DC-3 itself was difficult to get. We had one in Mexico, where all the aerial combat was shot. We then needed that DC-3 to travel from Northern Mexico to Antofagasta in Chile for Bond and Camille’s arrival and take off from the airport in the desert. The Mexican DC-3 was not capable of making the journey due to mechanical problems. We tried to find a match all over South America but we couldn’t locate a single one. Either we couldn’t paint the plane the same colour or there were other restrictions.”

“The producers approached me with a museum piece down in Santiago that they could bring up, but the plane couldn’t move and Bond wouldn’t be able to take off, but at least it was an answer and there would be a DC-3 standing in the background. At the last possible moment we found a DC-3 out of Miami, which they flew to Antofagasta. Watching that plane take off over the desert, it looked so unreal and beautiful at the same time. I was overjoyed we had settled for nothing less.”

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